Selecting the correct dimension for a poster requires taking careful measurement of the area in which you plan to place the poster and the furnitures that will be located below that area. Many people gets confused when choosing the proper size for a poster due to the possibility that the poster can be too large for that specific area of the wall or if the poster is too small for the furniture that is to be located beneath that area of the wall. Consequently, understanding how to read the dimension of a poster and the various systems within which those dimension can be categorized will ensure that the size of the poster will be appropriate for the frame in which it is to be displayed.
Poster dimension can be categorized into two main group: the metric ISO series and the US standard size. The metric ISO series use mathematical systems in which each size is twice the area of the size selected before it. Additionally, designer can be printed according to these size without causing any distortion of those printed design.
How to Choose the Right Poster Size
The US standard sizes are based off different tradition in printing. These size are often used for movie poster and engineering draft. It is important to recognize the difference between these two group of size.
For example, trying to place a poster that was printed according to US standard size into a frame created for the metric ISO series will not allow the poster to properly fit into that frame. Thus, the size of the poster will not match that of the frame in which it is to be displayed, causing it to not correctly fit into that frame. Matching the size of the poster to that of the wall and any furniture in the same area in which it is to be displayed is important.
For example, a size that covers approximately two-third of the area of the wall is recommended as it will allow the poster to effectively display itself without being too large for the area. The poster should be hung at eye level, which is approximately 57 inch from the floor. Additionally, there should be a clearance of six to eight inch between the top of any furniture in the area and the bottom of the poster.
Should these two measurement not be met, the poster will appear to be too close to the furniture. The width of the furniture in the area also impact the size of the poster. For example, the poster should be half to three-quarters as wide as the furniture in the same area.
A poster that is too narrow in comparison to the furniture will make the poster appear disconnected from the furniture. A poster that is the same width as the furniture may make the area of the wall appear too crowded. Additionally, different size of poster may be appropriate for different area of the home.
For instance, the bedroom may feature a larger size of the poster than the home office. Beyond the size of the poster, other factor will impact the way in which the poster hang on the wall. For instance, posters that use heavier paper stock will lie flat against the wall, but paper stock that are printed with any degree of lightness may curl at the edge of the poster.
Additionally, the finish of the paper will impact the way in which the poster reflect light in the area. For instance, a matte finish will prevent glare from reflecting off of the poster from the overhead light, but gloss paper stock may create glare in those same area. Finally, the resolution of the printed image should be high to ensure that the poster will not appear pixelated when viewed from a distance.
One of the last step in the process of creating and displaying a poster is to frame the poster. Frame come in standard size for specific type of poster. Consequently, it is important to ensure that the poster size match that of the frame size.
Additionally, you can avoid frame for displaying the poster by using the clip and hanger that can be included in the creation of the poster design, especially for poster that have heavy paper stock. Prior to permanently hanging the poster in the area, it is recommended to use tape to mock up the appearance of hanging the poster on the wall. Mocking up the poster will allow the designer or individual who is to hang the poster to ensure that the size of the poster is appropriate for the area of the wall.
Finally, any mat that is incorporated into the poster will add to the thickness of the item and reduce the area of the poster that is displayed.
